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GOOD recently posted a brief story that captured the power of movable seating. The piece served as reminder of why movable seating is so important to successful public spaces. The focus of the article was about a new initiative called “The Building Hero Project” by public workshop in Philadelphia. The initiative is a program that enables young adults to improve their neighborhoods through design by starting a micro-business to manufacture and sell a designed product. If that isn’t cool enough, the product is intended to be one that can improve local public spaces, schools, or neighborhoods. Continue reading →

The following plan and rendering illustrate the use of the permanent stainless steel track embodiment of the track and sled technology (patent pending) to create an agile streetscape that replaces the traditional fixed bench with movable chairs. In addition, tables (not shown) can be mounted to the system to add even more choice for the users. The plan shows how the system can not only provide infrastructure for movable site furniture but also direct water to the bioretention areas along the green street. Continue reading →

“…a wonderful invention – the movable chair…the big asset is moveability. Chairs enlarge choice: to move into the sun, out of it, to make room for groups, move away from them. The possibility of choice is as important as the exercise of it…There declarations of autonomy to one self, and rather satisfying.”

–William H. Whyte, The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces

The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces opened my eyes years ago to what makes outdoor spaces successful. It felt like the rosetta stone for creating great public space. Like many urban designers, the genius of William Whyte’s insights inspired me to create spaces that imbued these revelations. Choice in particular resonated with me. Choice meant freedom to allow the user to change the public space to adapt to their needs and the situation. Movable tables and chairs were the epitome of this. Continue reading →

CHAIRS>bench made it out in public for the first time last night when a group of friends and I took it up to the Trolley Barns in Nashville to conduct a photo shoot. The above gallery includes a few sample images captured. We put it through its paces. A big thanks to Kira Appelhans, Tipton Fowlkes, Will Marth, Nathan Oliver and Pat Stout for coming out.